I report on the many facets of military health, including PTSD, suicide prevention, service dogs, medical retirement, and wounded warrior recovery. A former Forbes staff writer and alum of NBCNews.com.

6 Veterans Day Stories To Read And Watch

Relatives of deceased US service members visit graves in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans' Day, November 11, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)

There is no shortage of military reporting and storytelling on Veterans Day. But even if you are interested in the content, the act of sitting down to read or watch it can be a bit overwhelming.

I want to help you find the best of what’s out there as these stories give the public an important opportunity to understand what life is like as a service member and veteran. I’ve selected a few stories that offered insight. If you have recommendations, please leave them in the comments.

The Oldest Living Veteran: For perspective, read this USA Todayinterview with 107-year-old Richard Overton, who is believed to be the oldest living veteran of World War II. The former soldier met President Obama today and attended a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery (photos here).

“War’s nothing to be into,” Overton told USA Today. “You don’t want to go into the war if you don’t have to. But I had to go. I enjoyed it after I’d went and come back, but I didn’t enjoy it when was over there. I had to do things I didn’t want to do.”

The Documentary: Tonight HBO will air the wrenching film “Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1.” It is a firsthand look at the calls that come into a suicide prevention and intervention crisis line (1.800.273.8255).

The camera captures raw moments for both the responder and the caller. These are disturbing conversations, but it’s essential that the public — especially civilians — better understand the mindset and emotions of a veteran or service member who might feel suicidal or who is prepared to act on those thoughts. To find out when the film airs in your city, click here.

The Book Excerpt: Military reporter David Finkel has written a tough, important book about life after war. Slate excerpted a chapter of that book, Thank You For Your Service, which focuses on “one soldier’s trip through the Army’s post-traumatic stress program.” This brief excerpt will bring you into the battle of war and show you how those experiences stay with a soldier, even as he or she receives treatment. I also spoke with Finkel last month; you can read the interview here.

‘The Obligation To Be A Loud Voice’: Howard and Jean Somers are the parents of Daniel Somers, a 30-year-old combat veteran who died by suicide in June. Daniel left his family a letter explaining how his PTSD and traumatic brain injuries created an “unrelenting depression and a generally joyless existence.” After reviewing the letter and Daniel’s paperwork, the couple identified “multiple systemic issues” in the quality of care at the VA, and have since spoken to the agency about addressing their concerns.

The Somers wrote a moving column for the New York Times’ At War blog about this experience and becoming advocates for “veterans who are too sick or too broken to speak for themselves.” Also consider this Times op-ed about soldiers discharged without benefits for minor infractions that are often tied to war-related emotional or psychological problems, which I also wrote about here.

Good News: The Department of Veterans Affairs has made significant progress in reducing the number of backlogged benefits claims. According to the Center for Investigative Reporting, “Far fewer veterans are facing long waits for disability compensation after the Department of Veterans Affairs spent the past six months focusing on the backlog, including mandating case worker overtime and rolling out a new computer system.”

A Little Levity: War and its consequences are serious, but even in the most desperate moments we find ourselves needing a break from the tragedy, writes war reporter Carmen Gentile over at Esquire. I recommend this with a caveat, which is that it glorifies “genitalia-based humor” — as Gentile describes it — that female service members cite as responsible for creating an inhospitable environment for women who want to serve proudly. Still, I think the piece is an important reminder that a little levity is key to surviving the worst of the worst:

When I first started covering wars, I couldn’t understand this attitude—how some soldiers could remain so seemingly nonchalant in the face of death and dismemberment. I figured their bravado an act for my benefit so that they might come across as hardened warriors in my stories. But after years spent chronicling their fight I discovered they danced the fine line between humor and carelessness so that they might go home with both their bodies and minds intact.

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